


July 7th - Time Travel

by S0phos



Series: DE Art Fest July 2020 [7]
Category: Detroit: Become Human, Detroit: Evolution, octopunk media - Fandom
Genre: Angst, DEArtfest, M/M, Time Travel, crying in the rain, reed900
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:54:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25114972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/S0phos/pseuds/S0phos
Summary: Nines has a surprise for Gavin - some weird tech glasses.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Series: DE Art Fest July 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1811668
Kudos: 24





	July 7th - Time Travel

_**Gonna be home in a few minutes. I have a surprise for you.**_

Nines’ surprises were certainly always interesting to say the least. Sometimes it was takeout, sometimes it was a new jacket and sometimes it was just a kiss. Whatever it was, Gavin was going to love it.

Gavin was in the bathroom washing his face when the front door creaked open and Nines arrived home. He grabbed a towel and smothered his face with it as he wandered out into the main room to see that fuckin’ Ken Doll with a small bag in one hand.  
“Hey Tin-Can, you get that work done?”  
“I mean, that is why I stayed late Gavin, so yes.”  
“Hey, don’t get snarky with me!” Gavin teased as he playfully whipped the towel towards his boyfriend.  
“Sorry, sorry!” Nines exclaimed, “Now sit.”  
“What? I’m not a fuckin’ dog!”  
“Just sit down Gavin.” Nines said with a smirk as he took a seat on the hard but welcoming couch. Gavin plonked down next to him and threw the towel to the side. Nines turned and took Gavin’s hands in his.  
“OK Gavin, surprise time. Now, I’m a little nervous that it’ll be too soon for this but I want to try.” Nines reached into the bag that he had bought it and revealed a pair of glasses? But these clearly weren’t normal glasses. These were thick and chunky and bits of technology embedded throughout. “Take these.”  
“What the fuck Nines?”  
“These are glasses that will, let you into my world, up here” he explained, signalling to his head, “But I’m not going to show you my world. I want to go back to yours.”  
“Nines, what are you on about.”  
“I read your file. I read Fowler’s report about the day he found you, videos from the raid on that gang, videos of when he found you, videos of the day that went well. I thought if we saw it together as partners, it might help your nightmares in some way. But this is only if you want to.”  
“Why go through all this trouble Nines, I’ve been dealing with this ever since that day. It’s the fuckin’ routine now.” Gavin grumbled.  
“But it shouldn’t be. Gavin I hate to see you when you hit rock bottom and I know that you don’t like me seeing it either. I want to help. I don’t want to fix you, I want to support you. I want you to be happier.”  
“I’m happy when I’m with you dipshit.”  
“I shouldn’t be the only thing to make you happy… and I know these nightmares are really hard for you. So let’s deal with this together.”  
“So I just put them on and we’ll be put through a simulation?”  
“Yes. And you can take them off at any time. It’ll be seen from a third person perspective and we’ll both be in my body, if that makes sense.”  
“Sure… sounds a bit creepy but sure.” Gavin said. He was trying to make jokes but he was fucking terrified. That night, even though it saved him, haunted him and now he was just going to jump into it. He slipped the glasses on. Currently he could see straight through them. He looked towards Nines - his guardian angel.  
“Are you ready Gavin?”  
“Nope.” The glasses turned a misty black.

The mist dispersed to reveal what they both knew to be Detroit 16 years ago. Though skyscrapers were still around, they weren’t as tall, nor as frequent as they were in present day Detroit. It was strange. Gavin knew that it was fucking freezing but he couldn’t feel the cold. Wind whipped around them as they approached an alley; it was an alley Gavin knew all too well. Gavin reached out for Nines’ hand which quickly intertwined with his. It grew darker and darker as they moved closer to the alley. And they could hear sobbing. But this wasn’t your sad sobbing. This was the type of sobbing that left you feeling sick with red raw eyes and a dry mouth. This was sobbing in extreme pain. Gavin knew that sob too well. He had been sobbing like that for three nights already. He was tired. He was broken. He was irreversible. Gavin willed them to stop moving but he was just a spectator to Nines who continued to round the corner. And there he was.

Gavin had always been skinnier but this version of him could’ve been snapped in half like a fucking twig. You could tell because the few thin layers of clothing he had on him were practically falling off. Not to mention they were ripped and frayed and covered in crimson stains. He lay against a pile of packed snow and was curled up tight. Present Gavin couldn’t feel the cold but the sight of him like this chilled him to the bone. He could feel hot tears streaming down his cheeks but he didn’t want to let go of Nines to wipe them away. He couldn’t let go of Nines. They stood there, watching the 18 year old kid shake and heave with no shoulder to cry on. They could hear his shaky breath. They could see his broken body. Gavin could feel his broken soul.

Gavin heard Nines’ voice beside him.  
“He can’t see or hear us but why don’t you say something to him?”  
“Like… Like what?” Gavins voice was quiet and shaky  
“I don’t know… something you wish you knew perhaps. Remind him that everything’s going to be alright.” Nines navigated the shared body towards the heap of fabric on the floor and sat down cross legged beside him. There was no recognition; there was just the continued sobbing between heavy breaths. The present day Gavin was taking similar breaths.  
“Hey kiddo.. Fuck this is weird. Ok. I know what you’re going through… course I fucking do… you’re me. Shit. Look…. In a few minutes a cop is gonna come bumbling round that corner and your whole life is gonna change. I know you think your life is over but it’s not. Heck in 15 years you’ll have a best friend… three actually.” He let go of Nines’ hand and began fumbling with his own. “This world is a fucking scary place and I wish I had realised that sooner for you… You.. I shouldn’t have fallen in with that dumbass gang. But at the same time, without it we wouldn’t have got a job at the DPD. We wouldn’t have met Tina, or Chris, or Hank for fucks sake. And we wouldn’t have met the love of our fucking life either. In 16 years your gonna meet an android and you are going to fucking hate him. Fowler will force you to work with him and you will think that it sucks. But that plastic prick will grow on you.” Gavin had forgotten Nines was here at this point. It was just him and the past memory that he was finally confronting. “You… you will learn to love ‘im… Y’know I’m gonna be honest… You stay like this for a long fucking time. Broken. Hurting. But somehow, this stupid android saves your ass. And kid, you will never meet anyone you love more than Nines. I know that for a fact. Sure, Fowler will save you… but Nines will be your hero.”

The world around Gavin spun and faded to black before the glasses cleared again. They were quickly fogged up with steam from the hot tears that were pouring uncontrollably down Gavin’s face. He pulled the glasses away from his face and threw them down onto the coffee table before letting his head fall into his hands. He felt Nines next to him; he wasn’t moving. He was just waiting for Gavin to take a much needed breath.  
“Why do I always spill my fucking guts out when you can hear me.” Gavin sighed as he rubbed the tears into his face. Nines just sat there quietly. He didn’t say a word. Eventually Gavin rose from his hunched position and fell back into Nines’ comforting embrace. Nines wrapped his arms around him which Gavin clung to like a child scared they would lose their parent in a crowd. He wasn’t going to lose Nines.  
“I’ve got you Gavin. I’ve got you.”

That night, Gavin was asleep from the moment his head hit the pillow to the second his alarm went off. He had made progress. And (of course) it was because of Nines.

**Author's Note:**

> This had some particularly fun stuff to write and I imagine that after this, Nines does it a few days after Gavin has the nightmare again. Not straight away, he leaves a few days so it's not fresh. But just to constantly remind Gavin that he is safe and that night didn't go how his mind convinces him.


End file.
